BEHIND THE SCENES: Interview with Michal Nagy
Michal Nagy, Guitarist, Music Academy of Cracow, Poland
CLAUDIA: Where are you from originally?
MICHAL: I am from Warsaw, Poland, and have lived in Cracow for more than 10 years.
CLAUDIA: When did you start playing your instrument?
MICHAL: I started to play the guitar when I was 13 years old. When I decided to be a guitarist I had to attend two types of school; one of them was a secondary music school, the other a normal secondary school. This was a very intensive time for me as a young boy. Afterwards I had to pass an exam at the Music Academy in Warsaw to get a place as a student there. During the period of my studies I was already an active performer. After my last exams and diplomas I moved to Vienna and extended my musical education at the Vienna Conservatory. Now I am a classical guitar teacher and teach chamber music at the Music Academy in Cracow.
CLAUDIA: How many Final Fantasy video symphony concerts have you played?
MICHAL: I only played one Final Fantasy video symphony concert in Cracow, under the direction of Arnold Roth.
CLAUDIA: Who influenced you most in your musical career?
MICHAL: All of my teachers and colleagues had a big influence on me. I perform different styles of music- as a soloist and as a member of various chamber music ensembles. I play not only classical repertoire, but I also perform music in theatres, tango nuevo, and ancient music. This is a great opportunity to work together with a number of fantastic musicians- I gain inspiration and the exchange of musical experiences.
CLAUDIA: What other artists have you performed with?
MICHAL: I am a member of an international guitar quartet called “Guitar4mation” which was founded 1993 in Vienna. Frequently I play duos with leading Polish violinists (Robert Kabara – concert master of the “ Sinfonietta Cracovia”, Pawel Wajrak- concert master of the Philharmonic Orchestra Cracow). I also play tango nuevo with the Polish bandoneon player Klaudiusz Baran and a formation called “New Tango Bridge”. As a soloist I took part in many projects with orchestras and choirs, and performed chamber music with guitarists, singers and other instrumentalists like Arkadiusz Krupa, first oboist of the National Radio Orchestra in Poland.
CLAUDIA: Can you describe the concert atmosphere?
MICHAL: It made a big impression on me to participate in the Final Fantasy Distant Worlds project. For each player it is an amazing experience to play in such a giant hall with thousands of excited fans. On stage it was a great feeling to be part of this unbelievable event.
CLAUDIA: What do you remember most about the Final Fantasy Distant Worlds performance?
MICHAL: The standing ovations and the emotional reactions of the audience were an unforgettable experience.
CLAUDIA: Are there many concerts going on now that have combined live symphonic music with rock or pop music in your country?
MICHAL: There are some events in Cracow, Poland that connect live music with the film festival. Now it is getting more and more popular and I think it can be very interesting for a big audience and for the performers as well. It is the perfect connection between pop and rock and traditional symphonic music. It opens the door to a world of culture for many people and creates a new target audience for various productions.
CLAUDIA: Where are you from originally?
MICHAL: I am from Warsaw, Poland, and have lived in Cracow for more than 10 years.
CLAUDIA: When did you start playing your instrument?
MICHAL: I started to play the guitar when I was 13 years old. When I decided to be a guitarist I had to attend two types of school; one of them was a secondary music school, the other a normal secondary school. This was a very intensive time for me as a young boy. Afterwards I had to pass an exam at the Music Academy in Warsaw to get a place as a student there. During the period of my studies I was already an active performer. After my last exams and diplomas I moved to Vienna and extended my musical education at the Vienna Conservatory. Now I am a classical guitar teacher and teach chamber music at the Music Academy in Cracow.
CLAUDIA: How many Final Fantasy video symphony concerts have you played?
MICHAL: I only played one Final Fantasy video symphony concert in Cracow, under the direction of Arnold Roth.
CLAUDIA: Who influenced you most in your musical career?
MICHAL: All of my teachers and colleagues had a big influence on me. I perform different styles of music- as a soloist and as a member of various chamber music ensembles. I play not only classical repertoire, but I also perform music in theatres, tango nuevo, and ancient music. This is a great opportunity to work together with a number of fantastic musicians- I gain inspiration and the exchange of musical experiences.
CLAUDIA: What other artists have you performed with?
MICHAL: I am a member of an international guitar quartet called “Guitar4mation” which was founded 1993 in Vienna. Frequently I play duos with leading Polish violinists (Robert Kabara – concert master of the “ Sinfonietta Cracovia”, Pawel Wajrak- concert master of the Philharmonic Orchestra Cracow). I also play tango nuevo with the Polish bandoneon player Klaudiusz Baran and a formation called “New Tango Bridge”. As a soloist I took part in many projects with orchestras and choirs, and performed chamber music with guitarists, singers and other instrumentalists like Arkadiusz Krupa, first oboist of the National Radio Orchestra in Poland.
CLAUDIA: Can you describe the concert atmosphere?
MICHAL: It made a big impression on me to participate in the Final Fantasy Distant Worlds project. For each player it is an amazing experience to play in such a giant hall with thousands of excited fans. On stage it was a great feeling to be part of this unbelievable event.
CLAUDIA: What do you remember most about the Final Fantasy Distant Worlds performance?
MICHAL: The standing ovations and the emotional reactions of the audience were an unforgettable experience.
CLAUDIA: Are there many concerts going on now that have combined live symphonic music with rock or pop music in your country?
MICHAL: There are some events in Cracow, Poland that connect live music with the film festival. Now it is getting more and more popular and I think it can be very interesting for a big audience and for the performers as well. It is the perfect connection between pop and rock and traditional symphonic music. It opens the door to a world of culture for many people and creates a new target audience for various productions.